The EMPRESS OF ASIA
completed her 307th and last crossing of the
Pacific on January 11th, 1941. Two days later the ship was formally
requisitioned as a troop carrier and preparations were begun for the delivery of
the ship to Liverpool for refitting.

While in the peace
time mercantile trade the EMPRESS OF ASIA was manned in part by a Chinese crew
that were recruited in Asia, signed on under Hong Kong Articles, and had filled
positions in the Engine, Deck and Catering Departments.When the ship was requisitioned, the Chinese crew (with the exception of
four individuals) were discharged.

These four became
members of the delivery crew that sailed the ship to Liverpool for conversion to
a troop carrier.After the
conversion they remained with the ship on the voyage to Suez and to Singapore.After the loss of the EMPRESS OF ASIA at Sultan Shoal the four were
successfully repatriated to North America.

Two, Chan Kam and
Chan Lam are reported by the Vancouver Daily Province (May 19, 1942 Page 3) to
have arrived in Vancouver.

NAME

RATING

Chan,
Kam

Joiner

Chan, Lam

Joiner

Chang, Tin Yau(Chan,
Tin Yau)

Rustyman

Win, Chin (Wu Chiu)

Storekeeper

If you have arrived here and cannot see
the Table of Contents to the left,